Mufasa—or rather, Korosensei—bounced onto the stage, turning to the five graduates.
"So! You're all here for your official Knight badges, right?"
The five nodded, standing firm.
Korosensei reached into his robes.
A loud thud echoed as a pile of books tumbled onto the floor.
Titles like Make-out Tactics, Roots: My Way of the Ninja, and a half-eaten ice cream bar spilled across the stage.
The students cringed.
Korosensei chuckled awkwardly.
His yellow skin took on a faint pink hue.
"Oops. Wrong pocket."
Then, he dramatically held up a glimmering knight badge, twirling it between his fingers.
"Want it?" he taunted, his grin stretching even wider.
The students nodded, determination flickering in their eyes.
Korosensei fastened the badge onto his right tentacle.
"Then come take it from me!" he declared.
As Korosensei pulled out the knight badge, the crowd erupted into chaos.
How could a knight badge, personally issued by the Kazekage, end up in Korosensei's hands?
Those who knew the truth, including Master Yi, Mori, and several other teachers, quickly stepped in to ease the commotion.
"Students, this must have been entrusted to Korosensei by the Kazekage himself."
"There's no need to panic."
"Perhaps it's a special test arranged for the first batch of graduates."
The students slowly settled down, albeit with murmurs of curiosity and doubt.
Korosensei, clearly pleased by their reaction, nodded in satisfaction.
"Indeed, the Kazekage instructed me to do this."
His beady black eyes scanned the group, pausing on Yusuke, Michiki, Jin, Miyuki, and Katsuragi.
A single blink from those small eyes carried an unspoken challenge.
"If you can't take it, then wait for the next batch."
Then came his infamous words, spoken with unwavering conviction.
"The sooner those with talent taste the bitterness of failure, the sooner they can awaken their true strength.
The school exams exist to teach the meaning of victory and defeat, strength and weakness. There's no greater lesson than this."
He held the badge up high.
"This is your best opportunity. You're about to step into the real world as knights—so let me, Korosensei, give you one final lesson."
Michiki clenched his fists, his eyes blazing. "Damn it! Give it here!"
Without hesitation, he lunged forward—only for Korosensei to effortlessly send him flying with a casual flick of his tentacle.
"Students, cherish your youth. Savor both success and setbacks! Reflect on this moment: what is victory? What is failure?
What is the true meaning of power? This is something I failed to understand until it was too late... but for you, it's not too late."
Michiki groaned as he picked himself up from the ground.
He wiped the dust from his face and turned to his comrades.
"Everyone, let's transform."
He took a deep breath and declared, "Watch closely, my transformation!"
A burning determination filled his voice. "To protect everyone's smiles, I will do whatever it takes—even embrace the ultimate darkness!"
"Knight, transform!"
Michiki inserted the rhinoceros beetle card.
A flash of energy surrounded him.
"I'm just a Kamen Rider passing by—remember that!"
"Knight, transform!" Miyuki followed, inserting the Dragonfly card. "For me, for my friends, for Sand Shinobi!"
"Knight, transform!" Katsuragi deftly slotted in the Ryuchi Cave Serpent Summon card. "I refuse to die here!"
"Knight, transform!" Jin inserted the Locust card. "I may not have a dream, but I can protect the dreams of others."
Brilliant lights flashed, and their armored forms materialized, dazzling the spectators.
Watching from the sidelines, Mei and Ao stood in stunned silence, struggling to comprehend what they were seeing.
"What... what is this?" Terumi Mei murmured, her eyes wide.
"Armor appearing from nowhere?" Ao rubbed his temples, trying to process it. "Is this some kind of advanced ninja technique?"
They exchanged uncertain glances, feeling a deep sense of inferiority.
The Mist Village, isolated in the vast ocean, lagged behind.
If Sand Shinobi had this level of technology, what else were they hiding?
"We have to study this carefully," Terumi Mei muttered.
Ao nodded. "I'll analyze it with my Byakugan."
Meanwhile, the audience erupted with cheers.
"Go!"
"Take him down!"
Every student in the academy had trained with the knight belts before, but seeing them activated in unison was a spectacle.
Some couldn't help but chant:
"Get rid of the octopus-head!"
"Destroy him!"
It was clear—Korosensei wasn't exactly the most beloved teacher.
Unfazed by their jeers, Korosensei's skin morphed into streaks of green and yellow. The change was subtle, yet it exuded an air of arrogance and challenge.
"Being watched by all—this is how true strength is tested."
He raised his arm and beckoned them forward. "Come. Try to take it."
Michiki didn't hesitate. "You guys stay back—I'm going first!"
"Don't get in my way!"
With a fierce kick-off, he shot forward like a lightning bolt.
Ao's eyes widened in shock. "Such speed…!"
Michiki had reached an insane speed of 10,010.4s—almost beyond Ao's Byakugan tracking.
"This... this is still a student?!" Ao stammered. "How is this even possible? If he's this fast, then what about the others?!"
Michiki zeroed in on the tentacle of Korosensei's right hand, aiming for a decisive strike.
But Korosensei didn't even flinch.
At the last second, a single, small tentacle from his lower right side twitched upwards.
WHAM!
The impact was brutal.
Michiki was struck square in the head.
The force sent him soaring backward like a shooting star, crashing down with twice the impact as before.
Yusuke and Miyuki leaped into action, catching him before he tumbled off the podium.
Korosensei adjusted his posture and held up the badge again.
"When you face an insurmountable wall… surrender. Failing today doesn't matter—what matters is waiting for the day when you can overcome it."
He let the badge glisten in the light. "What do you say? Want to try again next year?"
"NEVER!"
...
"Michiki, Miyuki, and I will take close combat."
"Katsuragi and Jin, you two handle long-range support."
Miyuki drew his twin dragonfly blades, their thin wings shimmering as they vibrated with energy.
Michiki unsheathed his Unicorn Knight longsword, its edge glowing with power.
Katsuragi readied his snake-shaped crossbow spear, while Jin nocked an arrow into his locust longbow.
Although Kamen Riders often fought alone, teamwork was essential in training. And against a monster like Korosensei, overwhelming force was the only option.
Even Michiki, as stubborn as he was, had learned his lesson after being kicked aside twice.
Jin tightened his grip. "We don't have much time. Let's finish this fast."
Transforming into their Second Forms put immense strain on their bodies, and their time was limited.
Miyuki nodded. "Enough talk. Let's move."
As the fastest among them, he launched into the air first, his four translucent dragonfly wings humming. He flipped midair, gripping his twin blades, and slashed down toward the back of Korosensei's head.
"I'll hit from the front!" Michiki charged, his Unicorn armor amplifying his raw power. His sword shimmered as he unleashed a rapid flurry of eight strikes aimed straight for Korosensei's midsection.
A decisive thrust shot toward the tentacle holding the badge.
Korosensei had always taught them about the fusion of learning and combat—every day, he challenged his students to kill him. They had tried everything: poisons, explosives, traps, even high-caliber weaponry.
Yet no one had ever managed to land a fatal blow.
Now, they only needed to snatch the badge, not kill him. That much was possible.
Miyuki and Michiki attacked in tandem, their weapons cutting through the air.
Katsuragi fired his snake-shaped crossbow bolt, while Jin loosed a locust arrow into the sky.
The locust arrow split midair, transforming into a swarm of explosive locust bombs that rained down from above.
The snake-shaped bolt carried a hidden ability—it would devour the chakra of whoever it pierced.
A perfectly synchronized assault from all sides.
Korosensei merely sighed. "Ah, the instinct of all teachers… no matter what, we just want to see our students grow."
His beady eyes twinkled. "Come then. I'll give you a lesson in growth."
Jin gritted his teeth. "Less talking, more fighting!" He let loose another arrow. "Take this!"
The locust swarm exploded against Korosensei's oversized head.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Smoke erupted from the series of detonations.
The others landed their strikes. Miyuki's twin blades sliced through the back of his head. Michiki's sword stabbed into his abdomen. Katsuragi's crossbow bolt struck a tentacle.
For a moment, they thought they had done it.
Until Yusuke frowned. Something was off.
His staff hadn't hit anything solid.
As the smoke cleared, the truth became obvious.
Instead of Korosensei, they had attacked a metal training pole from the schoolyard.
"What?!" Katsuragi shouted in disbelief.
Jin's expression darkened. "A… Substitution Jutsu?!"
Even academy students were expected to master the Three Basic Jutsu—Transformation, Clone, and Substitution.
But for Korosensei to use such a simple technique?
The entire class stared in stunned silence.
Jin clenched his fists, anger boiling over. "Is he mocking us?!"
"Not at all," Korosensei's voice rang out.
They turned to see him standing on a basketball hoop, casually licking an ice cream cone.
"Don't underestimate even the simplest techniques. In battle, experience—not just raw strength—makes the difference."
His tentacles curled as he smirked. "Now… it's my turn."
Whoosh!
In an instant, six machine guns and two RPGs emerged from his coat.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Michiki gasped.
The teachers on the sidelines groaned. "Here we go again… Korosensei's about to demolish the school."
"Students, evacuate!" The instructors hurried to guide the younger students into the nearby buildings.
Even Terumi Mei and Ao followed, unable to look away from the chaos unfolding.
Ratatatatata!
A storm of bullets filled the air, weaving a net of destruction.
"Move!" Yusuke barked as the team scattered, barely avoiding the onslaught.
Korosensei's skin flashed green as he cackled. "Come on! You've got to fight back! After all, when the weak suffer brutal, senseless humiliation, they have two choices—crawl into bed and cry… or rise up and strike back!"
Each of his six machine guns locked onto a different target, tracking their movements precisely.
Bullets shredded the ground, barely missing their feet.
Jin growled. "Damn it! This octopus is way too arrogant! Somebody cover me!"
Miyuki leapt in front of him. "I've got you. Get your shot ready!"
He spun his twin blades rapidly, creating a barrier of steel.
Dragonfly Technique: Twin-Wing Whirlwind!
The high-speed rotation deflected incoming bullets, sending sparks flying.
Jin pulled back his bowstring, pouring all his energy into his next shot.
"Now! Locust Storm Barrage!"
A massive, green-yellow locust arrow erupted from his bow.
Korosensei grinned, firing straight at it. Bang! Bang!
But the arrow was alive.
It twisted, danced between the bullets, and kept accelerating, using the gunfire as propulsion.
Korosensei's smile wavered. "Oh? Now that's interesting—"
BOOM!
_______________________________
Word count: 1787
Comment below on what you think so far.
Also, if you're interested in reading some advanced chapters, you can support me on my patreon.
patreon.com/Rai_jin
Thanks for reading guys.